Page 36 of Totally Played
“Thanks,” I say, and he turns back to the game with a proud grin on his lips like he’s actually been helpful, when really I am even more confused than I was before.
Chapter twelve
Ashley
ASHLEY:Youwererightabout the farm. She couldn’t arrange a tour fast enough, and she tripled her investment and signed a guarantee for the next two years.
CALVIN: That’s amazing, congratulations. Does this mean you’re coming home?
I’ve been in Belgium for the past two weeks, sealing this deal for RED Tech, but I made sure I streamed Calvin’s game the first weekend. After seeing him do so well, I just had to text him a congratulations. After that, we sort of kept texting, and now it’s been another week, and I don’t think I’ve gone a single day without messaging him. It’s totally normal for guy friends to text each other all the time, right?
ASHLEY: Unfortunately, not. We got the data from the horse ranch, and it’s just as good as the cattle, so we shipped out a kit to test on a horse ranch out here. I’ve got to oversee the setup.
CALVIN: Is that part of your job?
ASHLEY: Not officially, but I’ve been along for the ride since its inception, so I know everything about the tech and theprogram it runs off. I should be back for your next home game, though.
CALVIN: I’ll leave your ticket at the gate again. You can sit with the family.
ASHLEY: It’s a date.
Oh shit, wait. While I hoped my time away would stop my silly infatuation with my new straight best friend. It hasn’t helped at all. If anything, it’s gotten worse. Last night, I dreamed that he flew over here to surprise me, and I blew him against the big windows of my hotel room. Fuck, that dream was hot. But my crush aside, he is straight, and I need to try to keep things halfway normal between us if I want to at least still be his friend. Because no one wants a friend who secretly wants to blow you. I mean, I wouldn’t mind.
I quickly type another message and click send.
ASHLEY: Will we be going to Riverside Barbeque again on this bro-date?
CALVIN: Mom already reserved a table for seven.
I add them up in my head. Calvin, Rachel, his mom and dad, me, and then Tony. I guess we’ll have to have that rain check date when I’m back, too. Would it be shit of me to cancel? I mean, I probably can’t before the dinner with his folks, can I? That would probably be poor form. Wait. That’s only six.
ASHLEY: Who’s the seventh?
CALVIN: Fort. He and Rachel have been seeing each other ever since game night.
Aww, that’s nice.
CALVIN: I’ll tell Tony you’ll be coming. We play each other on the first night. It will be nice to throw him off.
I’m not sure how I feel about that statement. He doesn’t bring up Tony much in our texts, and I guess I had hoped, at least a little, that Tony might be matched with someone else on the app and had forgotten all about me. It’s not like I can tellhim, sorry, I can’t go on a date with you because I’m into your straight twin brother. Nope. Not doing that. I thought for a while there that maybe Tony would be a good match for me. I clicked with Calvin right away. We had this instant connection like we’ve been friends in a past life or something. It sounds hokey, and I’m not even into all that past life stuff, at least I didn’t think I was, but since meeting Calvin, I have no idea how else to explain it.
But while I look at Calvin and feel this pull, like gravity itself wants to bring us together, I look at Tony and feel nothing. Am I doing this to myself? Lusting over a guy I know I can’t have to keep me from maybe falling for a guy I can?
Fuck. Why does love have to be so goddamn complicated? It’s about time I see if there is something there with Tony. But I don’t want to test out our possible connection with his family and Calvin right there. So I pull out my phone, open the dating app, and send off a date invitation for the Thursday night before their game. I chose the same sports bar I met Calvin, half because I’m tired and it’s at the top of the list of options, and half because I kind of want to see how they compare. Is that fair? If it’s not, I can’t let myself care. I need to get past this crush on a straight guy, and maybe his twin brother is my way to do that.
***
My flight was cancelled, and the one they rebooked me on a day later was delayed by seven hours, so now, not only am I severely jetlagged, I barely have enough time to shower before I have to get to the bar. Urgh, why did I think doing this was a good idea?
I’m on time when I prefer to be early, but when I scan the space, he’s not here yet anyway, so I pull up a seat at the bar down the opposite end near the candy bar claw machine and wave down Wally for a beer.
“Just the one for now, please,” I say, dropping a twenty on the counter.
Golf and soccer are on the televisions nearest, and I turn on the stool to look for hockey when he walks in. I know instantly it’s Tony and not Calvin. His hair is styled similarly to how Calvin’s was the first night, but he’s wearing tight black jeans and a netted green shirt under his leather jacket. He smiles widely when he spots me, and I stand to greet him properly.
“Nice to officially meet you, Tony,” I say, holding out my hand.
“Yeah, you, too,” he replies, his gaze sweeping up and down my body. I should be flattered but it stirs a different feeling in my gut.
